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�As He Leads NPP Presidential Race With Solid 85% Party�s MPs Supporting Him Former Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Joe Ghartey has overturned the applecart in the NPP as, with the support of over 85% of NPP Parliamentarians, he is now seen as the best candidate to lead the NPP to the 2016 elections. With the NPP parliamentary caucus fully convinced that Nana Akufo-Addo-led NPP ticket would spell doom for the party-not so much because of the fact that Akufo-Addo has proven over several election cycles that he is incapable of winning an election, but, more importantly, because 2016 represents the best chance that the NPP has to introduce a new candidate who would then be marketed over the next four years towards 2020 � Joe Ghartey has become the best option in a desperately crumbling situation. The contest between Akufo-Addo and Joe Ghartey promises to be fascinating, not least because Joe Ghartey, who is currently the 2nd Deputy Speaker of Parliament and Member of Parliament for the Esikado Ketan Constituency in the Western Region, under-studied the twice-defeated NPP presidential candidate as a young lawyer. After Law School, Joe Ghartey, joined the firm of Akufo-Addo, Prempeh & Co., where Akufo-Addo was a Senior Partner. There, Joe Ghartey cut his teeth in the legal profession before leaving after seven years and co-founded Ghartey & Ghartey Company (Barristers & Solicitors) before he became an MP. Fifteen persons have so far been nurturing the ambition to contest the flag-bear-ship position of the NPP for the 2016 presidential election: but Joe Ghartey seems to be taking the pole position ahead of the party�s primaries. Joe Ghartey is currently the 2nd Deputy Speaker of Parliament and Member of Parliament for the Esikado Ketan Constituency in the Western Region. Having served as Attorney-General of Ghana under President John Agyekum Kufuor, Joe Ghartey first won the seat in the December 2004 elections and was re-elected in both the December 2008 and December 2012. During the regime of President John Agyekum Kufuor, Mr. Ghartey was appointed Deputy Attorney General and Minister of Justice in March 2005. He was appointed the substantive Minister in April 2006, a position he held until January 2009. The other potential contestants, who may turn out to be �also runs�, include Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia. 2008 and 2012 NPP Vice presidential candidate; Mr. Dan Kwaku Botwe, Minority Chief Whip and Member of Parliament (MP) for Okere; Alan John Kwadwo Kyerematen (popularly called Alan Cash): Mr. Issac Osei, MP for Subin; and Mr. Boakye Agyarko 2012 Campaign Director of NPP. Others are: Papa Owusu-Ankomah, Member of Parliament (MP) for Sekondi and former Attorney General: Arthur Kobina Kennedy one time NPP presidential aspirant and Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng, a cardiothoracic surgeon and former CEO of Korle Bu Teaching Hospital. The rest are: Richard Winfred, (Dr) Anane. MP for Nyaiaeso and former Minister of Health: Stephen Asamoah Boateng, former Minister of Information; Joseph Ayikoi-Otoo, a former Attorney-General; and Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, 2008 and 2012 presidential candidate. Political analysis reckon that many of the candidates can be associated with the two main camps in the NPP- Akufo-Addo and former president John Agyekum Kufuor camps. There is perception within the party that an ideal candidate must come from Central, Greater Accra or Northern Region. An Ashanti Regional candidate may not be favoured for the prized ticket. The undercurrent manoeuvrings for the party flagbearship would be akin to what transpired in 2007 where 17-all-male slugged it out. Akufo-Addo was declared winner after a magnanimous concession by his close contender Alan Kyerematen. The NPP, after the 2007 presidential primary received intense flak for the sheer number of persons who contested for the presidential slot. It therefore amended its constitution and reduced the number of persons eligible to contest for that position in subsequent elections to five. However, the contest this time seems to be shaping up between Akufo-Addo and Joe Ghartey; and, with the projected support of over 85% of NPP Parliamentarians supporting him, the current 2nd Speaker of Parliament looks certain to send his mentor into permanent retirement. After the 2012 elections, Mr. Ghartey was nominated by the NPP minority in parliament for the position of Second Deputy Speaker of Parliament in the 6th Parliament of the 4th Republic. His nomination was challenged by the NDC because, according to some NDC members, the NPP should not be rewarded with the position since it had decided to boycott the inauguration of John Mahama as President in the same election it is challenging.